Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Language, communication and culture'
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Leitch, David Gideon. "The politics of understanding language as a model of culture /." Diss., Connect to a 24 p. preview or request complete full text in PDF format. Access restricted to UC campuses, 2008. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ucsd/fullcit?p3331060.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2008.Title from first page of PDF file (viewed Dec. 5, 2008). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 235-251).
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Alfano, Alliete Rodriguez. "Communication and Culture: Implications for Hispanic Mothers with Deaf Children." Scholarly Repository, 2007. http://scholarlyrepository.miami.edu/oa_dissertations/61.
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The majority of deaf children are born to hearing parents. The fact that many of these children use sign language as their primary form of communication poses a unique language barrier between them and their hearing families. In addition, for children who are born into Hispanic families, these children have limited access to Hispanic and Deaf cultures unless their families actively pursue involvement with those communities. Data were collected through ethnographic interviews and limited participant observation and analyzed by means of grounded theory methodology. The study investigated how Hispanic mothers communicate with their deaf children who use ASL as their primary language, as well as how these mothers view Deafness as a culture.
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Simpson, Thomas John. "Towards an ecology of context and communication : negotiating meaning and language education." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1993. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10021477/.
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In this thesis I set out to develop a social symbolic approach to context and communication which goes beyond a code-systemic perspective on language, and one of economic exchange in language use. I begin by reviewing relations between linguistics and language teaching, and the dangers to the latter when it becomes preoccupied with linguistic theory and description. I consider the potential of applied linguistics to synthesise key ideas from various language related disciplines in descriptively adequate accounts of communication in social situations. In the remainder of chapter one I examine a number of 'centrifugal' approaches to the analysis of language use, arguing a tendency for them to underestimate the importance of social symbolism in communication. Taking a range of social symbolic structures and processes in educational contexts as the starting point for 'centripetal' investigations, in chapter two I describe salient aspects of social symbolism in contexts of communication. These include contrasting social, educational and economic forces in educational institutions, conceptions of role and role relations between students and teachers, and structural symbolic features such as dominance and dependency within rites of transition. In chapter three I explore further aspects of social symbolism revealed in communication, such as identity and risk-taking. I also discuss criteria for developing and appraising models of 'an ecology of context and communication'. Chapter four deals with the notion of negotiating meaning as a key process in social encounters, and the influence of social symbolic factors on meaning negotiation in dyadic communication. Having explored important dimensions of social symbolism in both context and communication, along with implications for the negotiation of meaning, I argue the value of raising awareness of social symbolism in educational processes in the final chapter of the thesis. I address ways of incorporating major aspects of social symbolism into language education and discuss a range of issues involved in so doing.
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Garnier, Rowan Patricia. "Understanding logical connectives : a comparative study of language influence." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1992. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10018628/.
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Operators called 'logical connectives' convey in a precise way the logical relationships between truth functional propositions and hence determine what can be inferred from them. Mathematical reasoning therefore relies heavily on their use. Whilst the operators are free of ambiguity, this is not so for the linguistic items (called 'linguistic connectives') by which they are codified. In English, at least, there is a widely reported mismatch between the logical concepts and the 'meanings' of the linguistic connectives with which they are frequently identified. This study compares the provision for expressing logical concepts in Japanese, Arabic and English and seeks to ascertain to what extent the problems reported for English are generalisable to the other two languages. It also aims to establish whether the concepts underlying certain logical connectives are 'more readily available' or 'better established' in the speakers of one or other of these languages and, if so, whether this can be attributed to differing provision in the lexicon. Two experiments were carried out using as subjects adults who were native speakers of either English, Japanese or Arabic. One was designed to determine to what extent the appropriate linguistic connectives in each of the three languages convey the associated logical concepts. The second compared performance on five concept identification tasks where the concepts tested were conjunction, inclusive and exclusive disjunction, the conditional and biconditional. The results indicated no significant differences between language groups in the understanding of the linguistic expressions of logical connectives. However, the Japanese language group consistently outperformed the other two groups in all five concept identification tasks and also offered descriptions of these concepts which were more succinct and less variable. Possible explanations for the superior performance of the Japanese group are suggested and some implications for the teaching and learning of mathematics proposed.
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Jabareen, Jennifer. "Investigating culture through story /." Click here to view full-text, 2006. http://sitcollection.cdmhost.com/u?/p4010coll3,299.
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Chang, Suzana. "The Influence of Cultural Factors Including Language on Business Outcomes: Perceptions and Experiences of New Zealand exporters in Asia with reference to South Korea." Thesis, University of Canterbury. School of Humanities, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/9373.
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This thesis examines the role of language and culture in international business. Through a theoretical framework, it investigates how these are integrated and argues that an understanding of the complexity of the relationship between language and culture in cross-cultural communication is crucial in international business, as essentially it provides an explanation as to what effective communication means. The premise that language and cultural barriers might be preventing New Zealand businesses from enhanced engagement in Asia was investigated using quantitative data obtained from an online survey of New Zealand exporters supported by qualitative data from case studies. The results revealed that New Zealand companies were expressing much apprehension regarding language and cultural barriers prior to entry into Asia but upon entry, they had found that the experience had not been as difficult as anticipated. English alone was sufficient for the most part, particularly during the early phases. However, if businesses wanted to commit fully on a long term engagement with Asia, then English alone was not enough because without the knowledge of the local language and culture, they could not communicate effectively to build long-term relationships. Faced with a rapidly changing, increasingly competitive multilingual global environment, this study suggests that New Zealand businesses will need to find practical solutions to best enhance their opportunities in Asia.
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Dailey, Phokeng M. "Communication, Somali Culture and Decision-making about the HPV Vaccine." The Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366284195.
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Rose, Céline G. "Maximizing communication for learning in an upper-division literature and culture course." Diss., University of Iowa, 2018. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/6846.
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Several researchers (e.g., Allen & Paesani, 2010; Maxim, 2009; MLA Report, 2007) argue that the language-literature divide limits language development in many foreign language departments and that the speaking skill is the most affected by this common two-tiered curriculum (Swender, 2003). This study investigates the implementation of the concept of collaborative dialogues in an upper-division Francophone literature and culture course to support the oral proficiency skills of the participants. It addresses research questions pertaining to (1) how they constructed their group conversations in terms of language and content, (2) the connections between their dialogues and whole-class discussions, and (3) their perspectives about their group conversations.
Both whole-class discussions and weekly group dialogues, which took place outside of class, were video-recorded. The participants took an oral proficiency test at the beginning and at the end of the study and shared their opinions about the dialogues in two questionnaires and in stimulated recalls.
The analysis of the data sources shows that the majority of participants focused heavily on content during their conversations. This finding differs from previous research on collaborative dialogues, which hosted many interactions about language and supported language learning. Based on their analytical abilities and proficiency levels, the participants of this study either reviewed previous class discussions or extended them by exploring additional material and adding prior knowledge to their arguments. Extending class discussions during outside-of-class dialogues was a scaffolding activity which better prepared the participants to contribute to subsequent class discussions. Questionnaires and stimulated recalls suggest that the participants enjoyed participating in weekly group conversations because it supported their comprehension of difficult class concepts and materials and helped them develop confidence speaking.
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Gynne, (Leppänen) Annaliina. "Effects of English as a Corporate Language on Communication in a Nordic Merged Company." Thesis, Mälardalens högskola, Akademin för utbildning, kultur och kommunikation, 2004. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-8046.
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In the business world facilitation of corporate communication through the use of a single language has become almost a standard procedure. There is little knowledge, however, regarding how working in a language other than the mother tongue affects our thought processes and functionality at work. This study is an attempt to clear some issues around the subject. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of the corporate language, English, on managers’ communication within the organisation. The target group includes Finnish and Swedish managers working at a Nordic IT corporation, TietoEnator. The study was conducted by combining theoretical material on communication, language and culture with the empirical results of 7 qualitative interviews. The results show us that using a shared corporate language has both advantages and disadvantages. English helps in company internationalisation and in creating a sense of belonging, but also complicates everyday communication. The main disadvantage that English has caused is the lack of social communication between members of different nations in an unofficial level. The main conclusion is that the corporate language is not at all times sufficient fulfil the social needs of the members of the organisation. Through this lack of socialisation it is possible that the functionality of the organisation loses some of its competitive advantage in the business markets.
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Dong, Pingrong. "Identity and style in intercultural institutional interaction : a multi-modal analysis of supervision sessions between British academics and Chinese students." Thesis, Available from the University of Aberdeen Library and Historic Collections Digital Resources, 2009. http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIGITOOL-3&owner=resourcediscovery&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&pid=56253.
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Cheng, Leung Wai-lin Winnie. "Intercultural communication between native and non-native speakers of English /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 2002. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B24873287.
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Williams, Alan. "Resolving the culture conundrum : a conceptual framework for the management of culture in TESOL /." Access full text, 2005. http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/thesis/public/adt-LTU20060714.142623/index.html.
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Thesis (Ph.D.) -- La Trobe University, 2005."A thesis submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy [to the] School of Educational Studies, Faculty of Education." Research. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 309-317). Also available via the World Wide Web.
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Carel, Sheila Marie. "Performing virtual ethnographies of communication in the high school French class : a case study /." Digital version accessible at:, 1998. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/utexas/main.
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Ismail, Jumiati. "Challenges in international business communication : a study of language, culture and inter-cultural issues in Malaysian-Australian business discourse." University of Western Australia. Graduate School of Education, 2009. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2009.0107.
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This study aims to explore communication deviances and strategies in the negotiation discourse of Malaysian-Australian business encounters, from both a linguistic and nonlinguistic perspective. Specifically, it sees miscommunications/deviances as factors that may hinder the business communication process and prevent the negotiators from achieving their objectives. The study also focuses on strategies, or those discourse skills which promote successful business negotiation. The research method is based on the analysis of discourse generated from initial 'perception' interviews, business meetings, and post-meeting 'follow-up' interviews. The research involved a cross-section of Malaysian and Australian business people from various industries; such as tourism, information technology, hospitality and financial services. The initial 'perception' interviews were intended to gather data on the prior experiences of Malaysian and Australian businesspeople, both in terms of the reported difficulties and strengths in their business interactions and dealings in Western Australia. In the second stage of the analysis, the deviances which signalled miscommunication in the negotiation were identified in the recorded meeting data. Also identified were the strategies which were used by the negotiators to increase the likelihood that their goals will be achieved. The objective of the research was then to interpret why these strategies were being used, and their influence on the negotiation process. From the data a pattern emerged in the way that deviance occurred, and the way that strategies were being performed. This has made it possible to group deviance and strategies and present the findings thematically. Altogether, five themes identified, these were: Management of topics, Building rapport; Ethical business conduct; Building recognition; Styles in business practice. The study has shown that business communication discourse reflects the embedded culture of its speakers. Topic management was also found to play an important role in the business meetings as it enabled the participants to more effectively lead their discussion towards its intended goal. Both the deviance and strategies have been managed by the business negotiators in the way they select the appropriate topic categories in order to effectively maintain the discussion throughout the meeting.
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Smith, Jacqueline R. C. "The interrelationship between social and cognitive factors in second/foreign language development." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1996. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10021698/.
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Foreign language pedagogy has often been influenced by findings drawn from the area of first and/or second language acquisition with confusing results. The thesis explores the extent to which the inter-relation of variables in foreign language learning differs from that in natural acquisition processes and varies across a range of learning contexts, thereby encouraging different pedagogical approaches. Chapter one argues that some models underestimate the different variables involved and suggests that a socio-cultural approach is more effective in identiffing and explaining the shifting relation between context and cognition. Chapter two seeks to situate foreign language study within a more general process of jimctional differentiation' in the child's widening linguistic repertoire, arguing that not only does the relation of context and cognition change between L I and L2 but also within L2 itself. Chapter three examines the shifting relation between context and cognition with reference to the language programme of European Schools in general, and the one at Culham in particular. The latter provides a basis for answering two questions: (1) is there a correlation between success in an acquisition poor environment and the extent of the learner's analytic competence; (2) does motivation play an increasing role in affecting success in contexts where goals are long-term rather than immediate? Data collected from the school are analyzed in chapter four. Response to both questions would seem to he positive although the complexity of the learners' backgrounds produced greater variation in the role of affective factors than anticipated. Finally, chapter five argues that the relative success of foreign language study from an early stage in schemes such as the European schools or the immersion programmes depends upon a precise interplay of socio-cognitive variables which is unlikely to he replicated elsewhere.
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Chan, Lai Yee Emily. "Intercultural communication : exploring first encounters between Hong Kong Chinese and North Americans." HKBU Institutional Repository, 2003. http://repository.hkbu.edu.hk/etd_ra/498.
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Tsang, Hoi Ka Carrie. "Student motivation on a diagnostic and tracking English language test in Hong Kong." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2013. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10017892/.
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Performance in an assessment is not the reflection of just one’s knowledge and skills;motivation also plays a part. When the stakes of the assessment are low, it is logical to assume that students will have lower motivation to perform well in it. The Diagnostic English Language Tracking Assessment (DELTA) diagnoses and tracks students’ English language progress during their years of study at three universities in Hong Kong. Although the DELTA is a low stakes assessment, students get a report with their DELTA measure and detailed feedback on their performance. This study provides insights into test motivation as well as how useful students find a diagnostic report is to their language learning by ways of questionnaire survey and group interview, so as to explore students’ perceptions of test stakes and test value. The survey includes the Student Opinion Scale by Sundre and Moore (2002),which measures students’ motivation during the test; and a feedback usefulness scale specifically designed for this study to measure students’ perceptions of the usefulness of the diagnostic report. The results show that both scales are valid instruments to be used in this context and students are not motivated whilst sitting the test although they find the DELTA report quite useful. Data from the students’ interviews provide further information as to students’ motivation before and after the DELTA. In general they are not motivated before the test and their motivation to work on their English after the test largely depends on their perceived usefulness of the DELTA report. Lastly, as L2 motivation is a dynamic entity which will not remain constant over time, the study also demonstrates how Dörnyei and Ottó’s (1998) process model of L2 motivation can be adapted in explaining students’ test preparation and test taking process in low stakes diagnostic tests.
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Sullivan, Celeste M. "Language use in Lahore : the role of culture, social structure, and economics in shaping communication patterns and language form in a Pakistani multilingual community /." View online version; access limited to Brown University users, 2005. http://wwwlib.umi.com/dissertations/fullcit/3174680.
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Horner, David. "On the aquisition of grammar and meaning in instructed second language learning : a case study of the development of past verb forms by adult French learners of English as a foreign language." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1994. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10021533/.
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A corpus of written English produced by three groups of adult French beginning learners of English as a foreign language over a period of approximately eight months was examined for evidence relating to the acquisition of past tense forms and related meanings. The findings provide evidence to support several hypotheses which can be usefully grouped within a single framework which sees language acquisition as a process of hypothesis formation and testing whose constraints are both first and second language in origin. These hypotheses can be summarised as follows: (1) Language learning involves the acquisition of a new system of expressing meaning. As a result, the learner engages in a process of matching linguistic form to underlying meaning both within and between languages. Only such a hypothesis, we believe, can satisfactorily explain the apparently random variation that was observed in our subjects' acquisition of past tense. (2) Language transfer is thus necessarily a widespread phenomenon, constraining learners' formation of hypotheses, but is itself constrained by the inter- and intra-language form-meaning transparency of the language item in question. In other words, whenever formmeaning relationships are not wholly transparent, transfer is to be expected. (3) Moreover, even when form-meaning relations are transparent, transfer may take place due to the learner's shortage of processing capacity. When this is lacking, learners tend to maintain communication by relying on existing procedural knowledge, which, at least in the early stages, means well-established first language procedures. This is because, even though humans can process at phenomenal speeds, this is only possible with procedures which are solidly in place. For the vast majority of language learners this implies that first language procedures will always take precedence over weaker second language procedures because they were later traced and are less frequently used. Under the circumstances, where demands are made on the learner, for example, to produce language in real time, there will be a tendency to bypass second language networks and rely on first language circuitry. Consequently, learners make use of their ability to operate a number of strategies (such as planning and monitoring their language output) to produce comprehensible language. This ability, labelled strategic competence, is identified as a key aspect in language use in general.
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Cheng, Winnie, and 鄭梁慧蓮. "Intercultural communication between native and non-native speakers of English." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2002. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B29711629.
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Mahmud, Hala. "NURSES' EXPERIENCES OF LANGUAGE BARRIERS WHEN NURSING." Thesis, Malmö högskola, Fakulteten för hälsa och samhälle (HS), 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-26588.
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Bakgrund: Flera länder i världen har utvecklats till multikulturella samhällen. Detta innebär nya utmaningar för sjuksköterskor i vården eftersom de kommer att träffa på patienter som inte talar samma språk som sjuksköterskorna eller har samma kultur. Detta kan leda till språkbarriärer och kulturkrockar som sjuksköterskorna måste kunna övervinna.Syfte: Syftet med uppsatsen var att genom en litteraturstudie uppmärksamma sjuksköterskornas erfarenheter av att möta patienter med olika språk och kultur än sig själva och de risker och barriärer detta kan medföra i en vårdsituation.Metod: En litteraturstudie som är baserad på vetenskapliga artiklar med kvalitativ ansats som genomgick en kvalitetsgranskning och analys. Teman identifierades därefter.Resultat: Språkbarriärer, kommunikationssvårigheter, kulturskillnader, brist på kunskap inom tolkservice och kultur identifierades som utmaningar som kunde påverka sjuksköterskans arbete negativt.Slutsats: Sjuksköterskor är i behov av mer utbildning och kunskap om hur de ska gå tillväga vid vård av patienter som inte talar samma språk eller har samma kultur som sjuksköterskorna. Sjuksköterskorna borde erbjuda vård på ett professionellt sätt oberoende av patientens bakgrund eller dennes förmåga att kommunicera.Background: Several countries in the world have developed into multicultural societies. This means new challenges for nurses in care because they will encounter patients who do not speak the same language as the nurse or share the same culture. This can lead to language barriers and cultural clashes that nurses must be able to overcome.Aim: The aim of this study was that through a literature review draw attention to nurses' experiences of meeting patients who don’t speak the same language as the nurses of the the same cultural beliefs, and the risks and barriers that these factors may cause in a care situation.Method: A literature study that is based on ten scientific articles with a qualitative approach that were analysed and reviewed. Themes were then identified.Results: Language barriers, communication difficulties, cultural differences, lack of knowledge of interpreter services and culture were identified as challenges that could affect the nurse's work negatively.Conclusion: nurses are in need of more education and knowledge about how to proceed in the care of patients who do not speak the same language or share the same culture as the nurses. The nurses should provide health care in a professional manner regardless of the patient's background or his ability to communicate.
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Huntsman, Sherena. "Changing Access: Building a Culture of Accessibility Within Normalized Technical Communication Practices." DigitalCommons@USU, 2019. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/7560.
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As a field intricately connected to human experience and interaction, technical and professional communication (TPC) is historically, ethically, and practically tooled to address issues of equality, diversity, and access. While these important issues have not always been the focal point of TPC, the recent turn toward social justice has scholars asking critical questions about how users access information, how specific design practices may privilege some and disenfranchise others, and how we can be more inclusive across our communication practices. In this dissertation, I argue that it is within reach of TPC to address the specific problem of access—the gap between what we believe to be accessible and what is actually accessible—and to begin to change specific norms (beliefs, standards, guidelines, etc.) that guide our practices. We change norms, or the typical way we do things, by exposing them, disrupting them, and developing new, more inclusive practices. I argue that we can create new norms that are liberated from unjust assumptions of embodied ability and include accessibility as a normalized part of the design process.
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Al, Swaidan Raneem Saleh Abdul Rahman. "Language and culture: representations of English-speaking cultures in 1st year secondary english language coursebooks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." Master's thesis, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10362/12081.
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Liu, Si. "Pragmatic strategies and power relations in disagreement: Chinese culture in higher education." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/280559.
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This dissertation investigates pragmatic strategies and power relations related to disagreement in Mandarin Chinese using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, in which both statistic analyses of data from DCT and discourse analyses of data from ethnographic approach were conducted. The data were collected in the People's Republic of China at six universities in the north and the south of the nation as well as at a big conference. The total subjects for the DCT were 360, and the natural data were obtained from (1) surveys and interviews with a total of 45 participants, (2) 49 odd hours of recordings, and 86 valid oral discourses, both long and short. This study explores and answers three general questions. The first question is whether power relations in Chinese university settings influence pragmatic strategies in disagreement. A null hypothesis is rejected with statistic evidence. Further exploration of the ways in which the strategies are significantly different shows that the students use lower power-level strategies when disagreeing with the professors and administrators than vice versa. The students are addressed with highest level of all. However, the professors and administrators use more polite strategies to the students than the students to them. The statistic data also show no significant effect on the strategies by the two variables: gender and area. The second question asks what the pragmatic strategies in disagreement reflect regarding Chinese cultural dynamics in the higher education of contemporary China. The findings support the author's presumption that Confucianism may not still be the "guiding principle" of the norms and values in the university settings of modern China. A new cultural orientation of Chinese people is characterized with new features. The third probe of the question how the concept of relevance in Grice's CP dominates the analysis of communicative interactions involving power obtains an outcome in consistent with Kitis' "Global Relevance" as a Supermaxim of CP. Through Chinese discourse analyses, this study proves that the Maxim of Relevance of CP explicates conversational cooperation with the connection of the frame of discourse type and the social structure involving power, and the intention and comprehension of the implicature in conversations.
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Meyer, Roald. "Talkspace : among infill and void : a language learning centre." Diss., Pretoria : [s.n.], 2008. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-11242008-162346.
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Cedillo, Ávalos Tenoch Esaú. "Exploring algebra as a language-in-use : a study with 11-12 year olds using graphic calculators." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1997. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10021709/.
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The thesis presents a research that focuses on how children's learning processes occur when algebra is introduced as a language-in-use. The research incorporates graphic calculators as a means for providing children with a computing environment where communication is held by using a symbolic language similar in syntax and notation to the algebraic code. The use of calculators is shaped by a set of tasks specifically designed for this study. The tasks are arranged in order to simulate the social processes through which children learn the mother tongue. The design of the learning environment is based on Bruner's research on children's language acquisition. According to this, the major aim of the study is to investigate the ways in which the calculator's symbolic code shapes children's expressions of general relationships, and more specifically the kinds of notions and strategies that children develop through using calculator language. The study seeks for an explanatory framework that might provide a better understanding of the potential of technological resources in the teaching of algebra. The study drew promising results that provide evidence for an alternative approach to teaching algebra. The thesis offers a discussion of the theoretical background and its relationship with the teachina method. It also provides an analysis of children's achievements and difficulties.
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Zhang, Xianguang Peter. "Entrepreneurial culture in transition-period China a rhetorical critique /." [Bloomington, Ind.] : Indiana University, 2008. http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:3337556.
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Communication and Culture, 2008.Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Jul 24, 2009). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-11, Section: A, page: 4187. Adviser: Robert L. Ivie.
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Byrnes, Frances Mary. "Intercultural communication in a development project in Samoa." Phd thesis, Australia : Macquarie University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1959.14/82638.
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Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Division of Linguistics & Psychology, Department of Linguistics, 2005.Bibliography: p. 329-355.
Preamble -- Research objectives and methodology -- Theoretical and epistemological frameworks -- Culture, identity and power -- Meetings -- "The clearing of the sky" -- Project reform.
The data for this research thesis derives from a development project in Samoa. Through the study of key project events and their associated discourses the study identifies and interprets cultural and professional resources that the project team draws on as they negotiate their way through the project; in particular the 'resources' (including communication resources) that participants bring to project interactions. The thesis explores how participants used these resources and what consequences resulted (for them and for others) from such use. -- This study takes a critical and ideological stance, underpinned by a belief in the value and possibility of social action. While not primarily a call to action, the thesis presents its interpretations in the context of larger ethical and political challenges, with a view to informing change, specifically what deliberate action might be taken to improve processes and practices in future projects. The project is explored as a 'soft' system of social interactions and processes; and as a 'Third Space' (Bhabha 1990, 1994) where traditional boundaries of sociocultural organisation, or of professions, are destabilised and where newlyconstructed practices, orders of discourse, identities and representations are required. -- The study is evaluation and policy oriented. It explicitly addresses the implications of knowledge gained from the research for future project design and implementation. In making recommendations for project change, the study argues for the inclusion of local research as a legitimate project task, to inform evaluative processes and create a framework for ongoing modification to project design and implementation. The recommendations for change made in this study are concerned with determining principles and codes of practice for: - identifying and developing intercultural competence in project situations ; - project training (for intercultural project work, including ongoing participant research) ; - improving project systems ; - using relevant approaches/techniques in organisational change management.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
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Kraus, Harald A., and n/a. "Creating histories and spaces of meaningful use: toward a framework of foreign language teaching with an emphasis on culture, epistemology and ethical pedagogy." University of Canberra. Eductation & Community Studies, 2003. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20050803.081504.
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This thesis arises out of a critique of the way language is decontextualized and
presented from a reductively linguistic viewpoint in foreign language instruction. In
particular, it focuses on the weaknesses of the broad approach known as
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and highlights the disparity between its
theoretical assumptions and practical applications. With this in mind, the thesis
identifies and explores three foundational premises that should be considered as part
of an attempt to design a theoretically coherent framework for foreign language
instruction. By applying three sets of principles based on these premises, the thesis
goes on to outline such a framework.
After providing a background to the study, the first consideration is the nature of
cultural and communicative performance. The study turns to sociological concepts
regarding cultural organization and production, in order to better conceptualize how
'culture' can be understood in the context of foreign language learning. The second
part of this area focuses on meaning and communication in order to undermine
current treatments of 'language' in foreign language pedagogy.
The second area of interest is that of learning and thus considers a number of theories
of how people learn. The focus here is on learning-in-general rather than learning
languages specifically. What emerges from this are a number of principles that should
be borne in mind when creating conditions favorable to language learning.
Finally, one largely overlooked area in foreign language learning and applied
linguistics more broadly, is how the field of foreign language pedagogy constructs
and legitimizes its practices, as well as suppresses its foundational theoretical
assumptions in its activities (including research, methodology and teaching). A
chapter is therefore devoted to this issue, and a set of principles is formulated in order
to ensure that the design of any instructional framework is honest and ethical.
Thus furnished with the triangulation of principles, an attempt is made to outline how
a learner-focused, ethical pedagogical framework that stresses culture might look.
This thesis is theoretical in nature and relies on arguments and positions from diverse
and less commonly considered academic fields in foreign language instruction. Its
main theoretical inspiration comes from concepts and claims generally considered
'poststructural' or 'postmodern'. However, there is no exclusive devotion to any
particular author or theory.
It is hoped that this thesis can make a genuine, if not controversial, contribution to the
field of foreign language teaching by initiating a dialogue concerning the (lack of)
philosophical and epistemological reflexivity in the field.
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Miller, Nicole Ann. "Individual and cultural factors affecting students' anxiety during language study abroad." Dayton, Ohio : University of Dayton, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1239981295.
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Bonnard, Emilie. "Design olfactif : essence d'une voie de communication logographique." Thesis, Saint-Etienne, 2014. http://www.theses.fr/2014STET2194.
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Nous nous demandons constamment comment peut-on communiquer avec du parfum ? Ce langage sensoriel utilise le signe parfum dans un dispositif et comme une langue car le parfum est un système de signes qui forme une langue olfactive, dans la culture occidentale. Dans la première partie, nous confrontons cet argument à la culture chinoise, et nous observons que le parfum semble être un signe qui peut appartenir à un système de signes produisant du sens, de la signification, dans cette culture extrême-orientale. Le design, production occidentale, semble fortement influencé par la culture du signe extrême-orientale. La deuxième partie, étudie les manipulations de cette langue olfactive pour produire du sens : par le matériau, les images, la structure. Les clichés qui nous permettent de créer des projets de design olfactifs nous permettent de produire les codes d'un nouvelle langue, olfactive, pour produire un sens partageable, commun. Les formes de communication qui se dégagent de notre thèse sont l'écriture par le parfum, non pas sur un support, mais dans l'espace, et une forme pictographique et idéographique : une écriture imagée pour signifier une idée. Cette forme de communication logographique typique des écritures hiéroglyphiques et des sinogrammes, ne serait donc pas exotique. L'Occident aussi produit et manipule un tel langage, une telle écriture, mais pas uniquement sur une surface plane. Ceci s'applique au parfum, mais peut-être aussi à toute autre production de designWe are constantly asking how can we communicate with perfume? This sensory language uses the sign perfume in a device and as a language because the perfume is a system of signs that form an olfactory language in Western culture. In the first part, we compare this argument to the Chinese culture, and we observe that the scent seems to be a sign that can belong to a system of signs producing meaning, in this far eastern culture. Design, western production, seems strongly influenced by the culture of the Far East sign. The second part studies the manipulations of the olfactory language to produce meaning: by the material, the images, the structure. The “clichés” that afford us to create projects of smell design allows us to produce the codes of a new language, olfactory, to produce a shareable and common meaning. Forms of communication that emerge from our thesis are written by the scent, not on a backing, but in space, and a pictographic and ideographic form: a pictorial writing to signify an idea. This form of communication typical logographic writing hieroglyphics and Chinese Character, would not be exotic. The West also produces and manipulates such language, such writing, but not only on a flat surface. This applies to perfume, but can also be any other production of design
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Speedy, Karin Elizabeth. "Cross-cultural communication in a postmodern business environment: the role of French language and culture in New Zealand-French business relations." Thesis, University of Auckland, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/2292/409.
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In international business, notions of homogeneity and standardisation are promoted as necessary parts of the globalisation process. “One world” is equated with “one language” and English, portrayed as the global lingua franca, is seen as the only language needed to operate successfully in world markets. Using Jean Baudrillard’s theory of the cyclic superposition of the singular, universal and global as a framework and applying it to the business communications between New Zealand exporters and their French buyers, this thesis questions the beliefs underpinning Anglophone reliance on English, and the value of this reliance, in a postmodern business environment. It first examines historical shifts in attitudes to and use of both dominant “universal” languages and individual “singular” languages and finds that tensions tend to arise when dominant powers try to impose, in an imperialistic fashion, their language on the “Other”. It argues that the universal ideals of unity and openness popularly associated with globalisation are myths expounded by Anglophone big business, which, as the advocate of English as the language of international commerce, fails to recognise the hegemonic implications of its discourse. Through both qualitative and quantitative field research, it reaches the conclusion that, aside from a lack of attention paid to foreign languages in business, international business writers offer outdated and often erroneous cross-cultural advice for doing business in France. This cultural guidance is tainted by both the universalist/structuralist frameworks employed by the writers as well as their own inherent cultural assumptions, and is found to be of little use to New Zealand business people. By reviewing previous research, the thesis determines that New Zealand business has demonstrated a slight shift in attitude toward foreign language use in recent years. The results of my survey, designed to gauge the present attitudes to and use of French among New Zealand exporters, show that while some firms have embraced the idea of using French in business, most are still reliant on English for day-to-day business communications with their French customers. In the view of the latter, however, this behaviour does not foster efficient and equitable business relations. For the French, a New Zealand exporter prepared to use French in the French market would have a competitive advantage. Set in the context of Baudrillard’s paradigm, the thesis demonstrates that within the New Zealand-French business relationship the perpetual struggle between local and dominant languages continues to be a critical issue that requires urgent redress.
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Lee, Eunsil. "Learning Language and Culture outside the Classroom: Korean Study Abroad Students' Experience." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/29577.
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This qualitative study examined seven Korean students' language and culture learning experiences in a study abroad context. The purpose of this study is to gain insight about the processes of students' social interactions and development of communicative competence outside the classroom. My understanding and learning was guided by the framework of various communicative competence models, interactional practices, sociocultural theory, and cultural learning processes.
The findings of the study show that participation in outside-the-classroom interactions enhances students' language and culture learning in study abroad situations. However, living or working with native speakers did not necessarily mean that there were meaningful interactions. Social interaction with native speakers was challenging for language learners because of the cultural distances, discontinuity, and conflicts between them. Despite the difficulties in social and cultural interactions in the target culture, active participation in social interactions was still an important factor in language and culture learning. Verbalizing cultural issues such as cultural differences, misunderstandings, and observations of the target culture was an indication of the learners' cultural awareness and development.
Students believed that knowledge of grammar was an important factor for successful communication. At the same time, students were anxious about misunderstandings and miscommunication. I found that students easily engaged in interactions with their international peers, and these were less stressful than interactions with native speakers. This peer interaction eventually created opportunities for language learning. Students expected native speakers to correct their errors and to take roles as teachers of the target language even outside the classroom, but they also learned to initiate self-repairs and to ask for help. Engagement is the key to making a good conversation. The underlying condition for engagement is negotiation between two interlocutors to understand meanings.Ph. D.
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Dowling, Paul. "A language for the sociological description of pedagogic texts with particular reference to the Secondary School Mathematics Scheme SMP 11-16." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1994. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10021489/.
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The thesis is concerned with the production of a language for the systematic sociological description of pedagogic texts and with the application of this mechanism to two series of textbooks within the secondary school mathematics scheme, SMP 11-16. One series is targeted at the upper end of the 'ability' range, the other is intended for low ability' pupils. The thesis opens with a discussion of two prominent positions within mathematics education, concluding that they both 'mythologise' mathematical knowledge by abstracting it from the social bases of its elaboration. A search of the literature on the analysis of textbooks reveals that the majority of sociologicallyoriented work entails either ideological analysis or the analysis of the representation of one or more particular categories, most frequently gender and/or race. None of this research combines a theoretically coherent position with a set of derived principles for the detailed analysis of text. Chapter 3 presents a general methodological position in relation to three themes. These are, the distinction between the abstract and the concrete, the construction of subjectivity, and the contextualising and recontextualising of practices. The principal resources in this discussion are the works of Basil Bernstein, Pierre Bourdieu, Umberto Eco, Michel Foucault, and Valerie Walkerdine. Out of a critical discussion of this work, ten Theoretical Propositions are derived. These propositions form the general methodological basis of the 'language of description' which is derived from them in Chapter 4. The following five Chapters comprise an introductory description and a detailed analysis of the two series of textbooks. The analysis is predominantly qualitative in nature, but also incorporates a quantitative component. The latter focuses, in particular, on the modes of signification (icon, index, symbol) that are incorporated in the textbooks. The principal findings that emerge from the analysis describe the ways in which the texts select and construct apprenticed and alienated ideal readers. The differentiation between the apprenticed and alienated ideal readers is, primarily, constructed in terms of social class. The concluding Chapter includes an overview of the thesis and a discussion of the limitations of and possibilities arising from the language of description and its application. The concluding Section works more freely with the language and with the findings of the analysis in developing a theoretical speculation in respect of a possible conception of the relationship between sociological research and educational practice.
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Holst, Mark Anthony. "Japanese doctor-patient discourse : an investigation into cultural and institutional influences on patient-centred communication." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/5878.
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This thesis investigates how Japanese doctors create and maintain patient-centred consultations through their verbal interaction with patients, and the extent to which features of Japanese interpersonal communication influence the institutional discourse. Audio recordings of 72 doctor-patient interactions were collected at the outpatient department of a Japanese teaching hospital. All consultations involved new cases. There were two kinds of consultations: a preliminary history-taking interview with an intern and a diagnostic consultation given by an experienced doctor. After transcribing the recordings sequences of the discourse were analysed qualitatively on a turn-by-turn basis and a corpus of the data was analysed quantitatively to establish frequencies of discourse features related to patientcentredness. A review of literature (Chapter 2) establishes the standard structure of medical consultations and the relationship of the doctor and patient during consultations in terms of the asymmetry of speaking initiative according to consultation phases. The second part of Chapter 2 is an examination of Japanese communication style, attested to be influenced by culturally specific norms of behaviour that are demonstrable through verbal interactions. Chapter 3 describes the research method, and this is followed by four chapters of analysis. Chapter 4 describes the nature of the two kinds of consultations; the phases they include, and how the participants shift from one phase to the next with phase transition markers. Particular attention is paid to opening and closing phases, as they are most relevant to the establishment and consolidation of a patient-centred relationship. Chapter 5 investigates patterns of questioning by doctors, identifying functional categories of questions to see how they are used to coax information from the patient. Chapter 6 examines how the doctor encourages the patient’s narrative through backchanneling; how the doctor accommodates the patient through sensitive explanations of treatments and procedures; and how the voice of the patient emerges through calls for clarification, and voicing concerns. Chapter 7 highlights discourse sequences that may indicate culturally specific influences, and examines the emergence of laughter as an indicator of Japanese interpersonal interaction. The features of these Japanese consultations are consistent with medical consultations described in English speaking settings regarding phases and the discourse strategies used to achieve patient-centredness. While there appear to be Japanese cultural influences in the interactions consistent with previous cross-cultural studies the author argues that the institutional setting (clinical framework) is more immediately relevant to the conversational dynamics of the interactions than the Japanese cultural setting. Finally, medical consultations involving new cases have more features of service encounters and therefore not controlled by the guidance-cooperation model of doctor-patient interaction.
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Harumi, Seiko. "The use of silence by Japanese learners of English in cross-cultural communication and its pedagogical implications." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1999. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10006613/.
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This thesis examinest he use of silence by Japanese learners of English in cross-cultural communication. It also considers how cross-cultural misunderstandings can be avoided in a pedagogic context. To this end, an analysis is made of a contrastive study of the use of silence by Japanese students learning English, and by Western students learning Japanese. The study draws on insights from the ethnographic approach. The study consists of three parts. The first part, Chapters 1-4, investigates the theoretical background to the study. Chapter 1 examines various definitions of the word 'culture' and investigates the role of Pragmatics in cross-cultural communication. Chapter 2 surveys studies of silence in various socio-cultural contexts. Chapter 3 more specifically explores the use of silence in the Japanese context and its relation to Japanese cultural values and sociocultural norms. Then, Chapter 4 shifts attention to examine differences of communicative styles between Japanese and Westerners, and several important features in interaction. In part two, Chapters 5-8, the ethnographic approach takes the lead in the interpretation of the interview and observational material. Chapter 5 offers an overview of the study and carefully considers the principles of ethnography guiding this investigation. Chapter 6 considers the research design in relation to the context and purposes of the investigation. The data is analysed in Chapters 7 and 8 interpreting the use of silence from a socio-cultural perspective. Chapter 7 discusses the results of the questionnaires. Chapter 8 concentrates on the analysis of the video-recorded data. The last Chapter, Chapter 9, concludes with suggestions of possible pedagogic approaches tackling cross-cultural misunderstanding in foreign language learning.
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Beleaga, Constantin Emilian. "The role of cultural understanding and language training in unconventional warfare /." Monterey, Calif. : Springfield, Va. : Naval Postgraduate School ; Available from National Technical Information Service, 2004. http://library.nps.navy.mil/uhtbin/hyperion/04Dec%5FBeleaga.pdf.
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Herrmann, Andrew F. ""Saving People. Hunting Things. The Family Business": Organizational Communication Approaches to Popular Culture." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2016. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/439.
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Book Summary: Popular culture helps construct, define, and impact our everyday realities and must be taken seriously because popular culture is, simply, popular. Communication Perspectives on Popular Culture brings together communication experts with diverse backgrounds, from interpersonal communication, business and organizational communication, mass communication, media studies, narrative, rhetoric, gender studies, autoethnography, popular culture studies, and journalism. The contributors tackle such topics as music, broadcast and Netflix television shows, movies, the Internet, video games, and more, as they connect popular culture to personal concerns as well as larger political and societal issues. The variety of approaches in these chapters are simultaneously situated in the present while building a foundation for the future, as contributors explore new and emerging ways to approach popular culture. From case studies to emerging theories, the contributors examine how popular culture, media, and communication influence our everyday lives.
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Mu, Bing. "Co-constructing Intentions across Cultures: Reframing CFL Learners’ Communication in Chinese." The Ohio State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1531755217858256.
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Damnet, Anamai. "Enhancing acquisition of intercultural nonverbal competence : Thai English as a foreign language learners and the use of contemporary English language films." full-text, 2008. http://eprints.vu.edu.au/2023/1/damnet.pdf.
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This study investigates aspects of the teaching and learning of intercultural nonverbal competence by university students majoring in English in Thailand and starts from the position that intercultural nonverbal competence is an important, but neglected area within English language teaching for international communication. Five aspects of nonverbal communication where there are pronounced differences between Thai and native English norms are investigated: facial expressions, eye contact and gaze, bodily communication, kinesics (touching), and vocalic communication. The study employs a range of qualitative and quantitative approaches in conducting classroom research on the learning and teaching of nonverbal communication within university EFL speaking and listening skills classes. Seventy-three second year undergraduate students majoring in English were randomly assigned to and participated in one of two different teaching interventions both of which involved the use of the same four American and Australian contemporary films. The experimental intervention involved explicit teaching of nonverbal communication and the other more traditional one provided exposure to the same native speaker interactions in the same four films, but with classroom activities focused on linguistic and pragmatic features arising from the films. Adopting a quasi-experimental pre and posttest design the study includes three phases of data collection: (1) pre teaching assessment, (2) teaching phase, and (3) post teaching assessment. The pre and post teaching assessments cover students’ attitudes towards, understanding of and ability to employ nonverbal communication when communicating in English in intercultural contexts. The post teaching assessment covers these same areas together with additional qualitative data collection about students’ experiences of participation in the study. Data analyses include use of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and within group t-tests. The study reveals that in comparison with students from the control group students from the experimental group who had participated in the explicit teaching of nonverbal communication had: (a) more positive attitudes towards nonverbal communication of English native speakers, (b) a higher level of understanding of nonverbal communication of English native speakers (c) a higher level of ability to apply nonverbal channels in communication appropriately in role playing interaction with an English native speaker, and, in addition, (d) most students from both groups felt positive about the opportunities that practising role plays and viewing contemporary English language films provided for them to enhance their intercultural acquisition of nonverbal competence in communicating in English with native speakers. Qualitative data supported the quantitative findings and also indicated that students in the experimental group had achieved a deeper and more explicit understanding of the role of nonverbal communication in interactions in English, whilst also demonstrating a strong sense of what might be acceptable in an English language context with English native speakers and what is acceptable with fellow Thais. Furthermore, the results highlight that it is not essential for nonnative speakers to stay/study abroad in English as native language speaking countries in order to improve their communicative and intercultural nonverbal competences to levels approximating that of native speakers. Films and role play, when used appropriately, may provide effective native speaker modeling and opportunities for practice.
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Mothiba, Mamokato Jerida. "The use of nonverbal communication with specific reference to Northern Sotho discourse." Thesis, University of Limpopo, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/2001.
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Thesis (M.A. (African Languages)) --University of Limpopo, 2005This study explores the use of nonverbal communication in Northern Sotho discourse. The paper serves as an introduction to the study of nonverbal communication in African languages. The concept of nonverbal communication is as equally important in a communication system as verbal communication . Therefore, this paper focuses onsome of the various forms of nonverbal communication such as facial expressions, proxemics, haptics, personal appearance, and most importantly, the concept of time. This study is done mainly in comparison with the Western way of doing things and how the social changes affect the use of these cues
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Wilson, Hope Marshall. "Teaching Language and Culture Through Online Ethnographic Explorations." The Ohio State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1573901116368513.
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Pasqualini, Rita. "Searching for safe text: transfers on to the infobahn." Thesis, Pasqualini, Rita (2003) Searching for safe text: transfers on to the infobahn. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2003. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/246/.
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'Searching for safe text' is the main title of the dissertation, and also refers to the process involved in writing (and reading) it. 'Transfers on to the Infobahn' is the subtitle, which applies the guiding metaphor of movement to the central concept of transfer, used to explain potentially unsafe text, and to its application in cyberspace, seen as a further step from off-line experiences.
The research is on difficulties in interaction associated with differences in background languages and cultures, with an increasingly narrow focus on trans-cultural computer mediated communication using written text, mainly in English. The thesis investigates whether and how forms of linguistic interference, particularly negative transfers, lead to unsafe text and serious misunderstandings, which negatively affect interactions.
Aims of the project include increased awareness of the characteristics and problems of both media and messages, and promotion of basic skills and tools to recognise, resolve, reduce and prevent such misunderstandings, to supplement broadly applicable (trans-)linguistic and transcultural communication capabilities. For this research I have collected, analysed, evaluated and compared many relevant examples, which are mostly compatible with online settings, to illustrate problems and promote approaches to their resolution. The most serious outcomes are in areas which impact on basic human needs and values, such as life, liberty and self-esteem, and involving the notion of face, also in the context of linguistic conventions of politeness.
This work brings a lifelong interest in forms of transfer between different languages to the new and rapidly evolving arena of computer-mediated communication, with primary concern for interaction difficulties involving native and non-native users of a supposedly 'common' language. Attention to polyglots, though not exclusive, intends to highlight the often ignored issues of differences in background languages, particularly within the wide and varied English-speaking world. The challenges range from ethical concerns for equity, access and diversity in multicultural societies to economic needs for competitiveness and effectiveness in the international arena.
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Pasqualini, Rita. "Searching for safe text : transfers on to the infobahn /." Pasqualini, Rita (2003) Searching for safe text: transfers on to the infobahn. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2003. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/246/.
Full textAbstract:
'Searching for safe text' is the main title of the dissertation, and also refers to the process involved in writing (and reading) it. 'Transfers on to the Infobahn' is the subtitle, which applies the guiding metaphor of movement to the central concept of transfer, used to explain potentially unsafe text, and to its application in cyberspace, seen as a further step from off-line experiences.
The research is on difficulties in interaction associated with differences in background languages and cultures, with an increasingly narrow focus on trans-cultural computer mediated communication using written text, mainly in English. The thesis investigates whether and how forms of linguistic interference, particularly negative transfers, lead to unsafe text and serious misunderstandings, which negatively affect interactions.
Aims of the project include increased awareness of the characteristics and problems of both media and messages, and promotion of basic skills and tools to recognise, resolve, reduce and prevent such misunderstandings, to supplement broadly applicable (trans-)linguistic and transcultural communication capabilities. For this research I have collected, analysed, evaluated and compared many relevant examples, which are mostly compatible with online settings, to illustrate problems and promote approaches to their resolution. The most serious outcomes are in areas which impact on basic human needs and values, such as life, liberty and self-esteem, and involving the notion of face, also in the context of linguistic conventions of politeness.
This work brings a lifelong interest in forms of transfer between different languages to the new and rapidly evolving arena of computer-mediated communication, with primary concern for interaction difficulties involving native and non-native users of a supposedly 'common' language. Attention to polyglots, though not exclusive, intends to highlight the often ignored issues of differences in background languages, particularly within the wide and varied English-speaking world. The challenges range from ethical concerns for equity, access and diversity in multicultural societies to economic needs for competitiveness and effectiveness in the international arena.
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Hanzén, Maria. "When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do : Proverbs as a Part of EFL Teaching." Thesis, Jönköping University, School of Education and Communication, 2007. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-1060.
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This essay was underpinned by the premise that the proverb plays an important role in language teaching as a part of gaining cultural knowledge, metaphorical understanding and communicative competence. The purpose with this essay was to examine whether proverbs are a part of the EFL (English as Foreign Language) teaching in the county of Jönköping, Sweden. The investigation focused on the occurrence of proverbs in eleven textbooks for the English A- and B-courses, and on the attitudes toward using prov-erbs in the teaching among nineteen teachers at seven upper secondary schools. Descriptive methods were used, which combined quantitative and qualitative approaches, i.e. content analysis and close read-ing of the textbooks and a questionnaire answered by the teachers.
The result showed that proverbs are a small part of the EFL teaching regarding both the textbooks and the use in the classroom by the teachers. Proverbs are mainly used as bases for discussions in the text-books, and by the teachers as expressions to explain, to discuss the meaning and to compare to the Swedish equivalents. There is a positive attitude toward using proverbs and the result showed awareness among the teachers regarding proverbs as a part of the language and the culture as well as for communi-cation. The conclusion of the result was that the knowledge has to increase among educators and text-book authors about how proverbs can be used as effective devices and tools, not only as common ex-pressions, in every area of language teaching.
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PODLESNY, PAULINE ANNA, and JENNIFER ELZE. "Overcoming intercultural communication barriers : Organisational Culture and Organisational Learning within a Swedish Textile Company." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Institutionen Textilhögskolan, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-18004.
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This thesis attempts to discover what actions are necessary to mitigate these problems within textile companies. Theories on organisational culture, organisational learning, and international management, were addressed in relation to intercultural communication. Using an exemplifying case of one single person within Eton AB, a case study research design was conducted. The data was collected through a qualitative research strategy and method, using self-completion/self-administrative questionnaires, and analysed using grounded theory. The general result of the thesis indicates that few communication errors between Eton AB and the participant exist. Therefore this interrelation can be seen as a positive example of intercultural communication within a textile company. In this context, it was the authors’ intention to identify the influence organisational culture and organisational learning have on intercultural communication. Certain aspects within an organisational culture are of importance to create a better integration of employees, hence influence intercultural relations positively. Organisational learning, likewise, has a positive impact, since it contributes to the creation of a better environment for integration. This thesis concludes with generalised measures which can be seen as a guideline and as first steps for textile companies in order to reduce intercultural communication errors.Program: Textile Management,textile value chain management
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Waite, Bryan Robert. "The role of communicative competence and culture in current foreign language teaching." Diss., Connect to online resource, 2006. http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:3239404.
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Purushotma, Ravi. "Communicative 2.0 : video games and digital culture in the foreign language classroom." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/39145.
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Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Comparative Media Studies, 2006.I explore two core concepts in today's youth entertainment culture that will increasingly become central in future attempts to design affordable foreign language learning materials that hope to bridge the chasm between education and foreign popular culture. In the process, I outline a series of example applications that apply these concepts to developing rich foreign language materials -- starting with more experimental/long-term approaches such as using video game modding techniques to make language learning friendly video games and ending with more concrete, ready-to-go, applications like extending open source content management applications. The first concept I look at is that of "Remix culture." In short, Remix culture describes the way in which youth culture today more visibly orients itself around creating media by extracting component pieces from other people's media creations, then connecting them together to form something new. In the video game world this phenomena is more specifically termed 'modding.' In this process, amateur fans take a professional commercial game title and then modify it in creative ways that the original designers may not have considered.
(cont.) Outside of video games, we see terms like "web 2.0" used to describe technologies that allow website viewers to play a role in authoring additions to the sites they are reading, or "mashups" where users use programming interfaces to rapidly create web content by mashing together pieces from different sources. The second emerging concept critical for curricular designers to follow is that of transmedia storytelling. Traditionally, one might assume a model in which distinct media forms are used to serve distinct cultural practices: television or novels tell stories, video games are for play, blogs for socializing and textbooks for learning. While initially this may have been the case, as each of the media forms above have evolved, they have expanded to cover multiple other cultural practices, often by extending across other media forms. By following the evolution of the interactions between these various media forms and activities within entertainment industries, we can find valuable insight when forecasting their possible interactions in the education industry.
by Ravi Purushotma.
S.M.
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Olsen, Erin Fairlight. "Authentic Out-of-Class Communication in Study Abroad Programs: Success Defined by Continued Motivation and Cultural Appreciation." Diss., CLICK HERE for online access, 2007. http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/ETD/image/etd2071.pdf.
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Carpenter, Russell. "DESIGNING FOR A JAPANESE HIGH-CONTEXT CULTURE: CULTURE'S INFLUENCE ON THE TECHNICAL WRITER'S VISUAL RHETORIC." Master's thesis, University of Central Florida, 2005. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/2845.
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This thesis analyzes the challenges technical writers face when designing documents for high-context cultures, such as the Japanese. When developing documents intended to cross cultural gulfs, technical writers must take into consideration cultural expectations, preferences, and practices in document design and communication. High-context cultures, such as Japan, design documents using drastically different design strategies than those used in the United States. Japanese communication habits are more ambiguous than communication in the United States. Thus, the Japanese often use visuals for their aesthetic appeal, not for their ability to complement the text that surrounds the visual. The ambiguous nature of high-context culture communication habits often pose problems when Americans try to communicate--whether through written or oral communication--with a high-context audience. Without careful analysis and research into these cultural implications, the technical writer risks developing unsuccessful documents that do not accomplish the goals of the communication. It takes years of research to understand cultural differences, especially in the case of Japanese communication habits. With the research presented in this thesis, technical writers will understand better how to address document design issues when designing for high-context cultures in general and the Japanese culture specifically. In order to effectively analyze document design strategies across cultures, I have collected documents from two cultures--from the United States and from Japan. These two cultures represent a low-context culture, the United States, and a high-context culture, Japan. The United States and Japan are opposite each other on Edward T. Hall's cultural continuum, providing ideal subjects for a cross-cultural document design analysis. Using previous research in document design and cultural studies, I have established a grid for analyzing visual elements in the documents I have collected--full color automobile sales booklets. I analyze both high- and low-context documents against this grid. The various document design grids allow for visual representation of document design decisions in both cultures. American international technical communicators can use these grids as a starting point for addressing the cultural implications of document design for high-context audiences. The research presented in this thesis shows that high- and low-context cultures use visuals much differently. Readers, in both cultures, are persuaded differently by visual elements. By exploring and analyzing the use of visuals such as photos, diagrams, line drawings, and the way both cultures use visuals to approach their audiences, this thesis attempts to present an explanation of visuals in high-context cultures that will aid American technical writers who design documents for international audiences. This thesis uses Japanese cultural analysis and Japanese design theories to explain high-context design decisions applied to Japanese documents.M.A.
Department of English
Arts and Sciences
English